This invention relates to a cutter for a blender. Specifically, this invention relates to the angles and pitches of the blades of a cutter.
There are many different types of blenders that have been available for many years. Each blender is adapted to cut, chop, mix, blend, liquify, etc. Many types of cutters have been used in connection with these blenders to accomplish these food processing purposes.
Known cutters include a wide range of symmetric and asymmetric blade configurations. The blades are angled in some cases. Further, known cutters are often made of multiple separate blade components that are joined together to make up the complete cutter.
One problem with many blenders is that their cutters process material at the bottom of the blender jar only. There is inefficient circulation of the material that is being processed. Also, even in blenders where the processed material circulation is better, the size of the particles of processed material can be inconsistent. Particularly when crushing ice, for instance, it is desirable to have an even consistency of the ice material through the entire blender after processing.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing drawbacks and provide a cutter that renders an efficient machine for producing a consistent material product as a result of the blender processing.
In one embodiment, the cutter for use in a blender includes a central hub portion that defines a horizontal plane. First and second pairs of blades extend outwardly from this hub portion. The first pair of blades is oriented on opposite sides of the hub portion and the blades lie in substantially the same horizontal plane as the hub portion. The second pair of blades is oriented on opposite sides of the hub portion and the blades each extend upwardly from the horizontal plane of the hub portion wherein the angles of upward extension of the second pair of blades are asymmetric. Further, each blade of the first set of blades has a cutting edge and a trailing edge, and each blade of the first set of blades is pitched so that there is a downward slope from the cutting edge to the trailing edge. The angle of downward slope may be from five degrees to fifteen degrees. In one preferred embodiment, the angle of slope is ten degrees. The angle of upward extension of one blade of the second pair of blades may be forty-one degrees plus or minus ten degrees, and the angle of upward extension of the other blade of the second pair of blades may be fifty one degrees plus or minus ten degrees. Still further, each blade of the second set of blades may have a cutting edge and trailing edge wherein each blade of the second set of blades is pitched so that there is a downward slope from the cutting edge to the trailing edge. The angle of downward slope of the second set of blades may be from five to fifteen degrees, and preferably ten degrees.
In an alternative embodiment, the cutter for use in a blender includes a central hub portion defining a horizontal plane. First and second pairs of blades extend outwardly from the hub portion. The first pair of blades is oriented on opposite sides of the hub portion and the blades lie in substantially the same horizontal plane as the hub portion. The second pair of blades is oriented on opposite sides of the hub portion and the blades each extend upwardly from the horizontal plane of the hub portion, further wherein the angles of upward extension of the second pair of blades are asymmetric. Still further, each blade of the second set of blades has a cutting edge and trailing edge, and each blade of the second set of blades is pitched so that there is a downward slope from the cutting edge to the trailing edge. The angle of downward slope may be from five to fifteen degrees, preferably ten degrees. The angle of upward extension of one blade of the second pair of blades may be forty one degrees plus or minus ten degrees, and the angle of upward extension of the other blade of the second pair of blades may be fifty one degrees plus or minus ten degrees.
In a still further embodiment, the invention includes a blender comprising a blender jar for receiving material to be processed, a rotatable cutter positioned within the blender jar, and a motor carried in a housing with a drive shaft for rotatably driving the cutter. The cutter is as described above in its several variations.